Brian Michael Stanislaus Hoban (7 October 1921 in

British Guiana British Guiana was a British colony, part of the mainland British West Indies. It was located on the northern coast of South America. Since 1966 it has been known as the independent nation of Guyana. The first known Europeans to encounter Guia ...

– 6 July 2003), was a teacher of classics, and Headmaster of

Harrow School Harrow School () is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English boarding school for boys) in Harrow on the Hill, Greater London, England. The school was founded in 1572 by John Lyon (school founder), John Lyon, a local landowner an ...

from 1971–81. His father died when he was a small child and he spent two years in an orphanage. In 1934 he won a scholarship to Charterhouse, where he remained until the onset of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

in 1939. He spent the war as a captain with the Westminster Dragoons, and was mentioned in dispatches. From 1946–49 he was a student of classics at University College, Oxford. In 1947 he married Jasmine Holmes, the daughter of his Charterhouse house master. From 1949–52 he was an assistant master at Uppingham School teaching classics. From 1952–59 he was an assistant master at Shrewsbury School teaching classics. From 1960–64 he was Headmaster of St Edmund's School,

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...

. From 1964–71, he was Headmaster of Bradfield College. In 1971 he was named Headmaster of Harrow. He headed Harrow at a difficult time for British public schools generally, due to the political environment and financial pressures. Despite sometimes public criticism, Hoban responded with cost-saving measures, whilst refurbishing houses. During his tenure at Harrow, numbers slipped below 700 only three times. He oversaw many important building projects, including the new Central Feeding block; the New Knoll boarding house; and new physics and maths schools. He retired in 1981. Hoban obituary in ''The Telegraph''
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Death

Hoban died on 6 July 2003, aged 81.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hoban, Michael 1921 births 2003 deaths Alumni of University College, Oxford British Army personnel of World War II Head Masters of Harrow School Headmasters of Bradfield College People educated at Charterhouse School Guyanese emigrants to the United Kingdom Place of death missing Westminster Dragoons officers 20th-century English educators